title: Monoclonal antibody 10A5 recognizes an antigen unique to the water-insoluble 25/45 membrane fraction of the rat ocular lens.
abstract: The water-insoluble 25/45 fraction and non-sedimenting membrane fraction (NSMF) are two membrane preparations isolated from the ocular lens. The fractions are postulated to represent distinct subdomains of the lens with unique functions. However, attempts to distinguish between the two fractions by detecting proteins present in one fraction but absent from other have been unsuccessful. In this study, we exploited the ability of the mouse immune system to detect antigenic differences between the 25/45 fraction and NSMF isolated from the lenses of 20-day-old rats. We generated a monoclonal antibody (MAb 10A5) that reacts with a ganglioside-like antigen that is present in the 25/45 fraction but absent from the NSMF. Restriction of the antigen to the 25/45 fraction in 20-day-old animals supports the hypothesis that the 25/45 fraction and NSMF represent different subdomains within the ocular lens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biochemistry, A T Still University, Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine, 800 W Jefferson St, Kirksville, MO 63501 USA.
authors.forename: Joseph K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Whitman
authors.forename: Abigail F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Alviar
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Fleschner
authors.forename: Melissa K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Stuart
keywords: Gangliosides; Monoclonal antibodies; Ocular lens; Plasma membrane domains